1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drain sanitizing devices. More particularly the present invention concerns an iodophor-containing drain sanitizing ring assembly which conveniently provides improved cleaning and prolonged sanitizing in drains.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an effort to combat microbiological activity in drain runoff areas many food processing facilities, and other facilities where potentially contaminated water flow is a problem, use drain sanitizing devices.
Water born diseases often caused by pathogenic micro-organisms can be spread by microbiological activity in drain runoff areas in food processing environments. The need to sanitize these areas for worker and consumer health reasons has shown a need for new sanitation devices that combat these micro-organisms. Regulatory agency awareness as well as public awareness of water born diseases has increased dramatically due to the reoccurrence of epidemics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,346 to Richter, et al., issued May 28, 1991, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a drain treatment product having a cavity defined by three walls. The cavity is used as a mold for and contains a sanitizing agent. In use, the outside wall and a portion of the bottom wall are removed and discarded, exposing the sanitizing agent. The drain treatment product of the ""346 patent thus uses a sold, water impermeable wall mesh material to retain the sanitizing agent before and during use. Thus the product of the ""346 patent acts in conjunction with the receiving drain structure whereby any remaining wall portions can trap water. While the ""346 patent discloses that it is permissible to completely remove the walls, the result would fully expose the sanitizing agent to rapid and possibly undesired excessive erosion. If the sanitizing agent is fully exposed, there would be nothing to stop large portions of the agent from washing down the drain, thereby reducing the amount of sanitizing agent located adjacent to the drain opening.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved drain sanitizing ring assembly which provides improved features not found in the prior art.
The drain sanitizing assembly of the present invention overcomes the above-identified disadvantages and provides a distinct advance in the art of drain sanitizing ring assemblies. More particularly the present invention provides an iodophor-containing drain sanitizing ring assembly, which conveniently provides improved cleaning and prolonged sanitizing in drains.
The dispensing assembly comprises a quantity of a sanitizing agent and a fluid-permeable retaining member which surrounds and holds the sanitizing agent therein, preferably provided as a flexible tube of a mesh material for containing the sanitizing agent therein. In preferred forms, the present invention includes a mount whereby the flexible retaining member, preferably provided as a donut-shaped tube, may more readily be properly positioned in the drain and which helps to retain the tube in a desired configuration. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the mount is cylindrical in shape having having a top circular edge and a bottom circular edge, and helps to hold the tube in a generally toroidal configuration and secure the edges of the tube. Most preferably the mount includes a first rigid ring section of slightly smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the retaining member, and a second rigid ring section, of slightly smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the first ring section, thereby providing frictional engagement between the mount and the tube-shaped retaining member for holding the edges of the tube therebetween.
The sanitizing agent as used herein may be any one of a number of solid or semi-solid compounds or mixtures which provide bacteriocidal efficacy. Chemicals which may be used as sanitizing agents include aldehydes, iodophors, phenolic, surfactants including anionic and cationic surfactants, and inorganic and organic chlorine releasing agents. One particularly used compound as a sanitizing agent includes 61.3% Calcium Sulphate; an iodophor; Guar Gum; Peg Disterate; Polyox Coagulant; Sodium Silicate; and Carbopol. Preferably, the sanitizing agent is provided in granular or powdered form which may be arranged into the form of a ring. The size of the ring may vary depending on the size of the drain, but by way of example may have an inside diameter of about four inches, an outside diameter of about six inches and a cross-sectional diameter of two inches.
The retaining member is provided and arranged to be permeable to water while initially retaining the sanitizing agent therein. For example, the retaining member may have a perforate wall which preferably does not absorb water. One example is a flexible mesh material which both permits liquid to flow therethrough while gradually releasing the sanitizing agent and which permits the assembly to at least partially conform and adjust to the drain.
The mount may be used to position the assembly in the drain. For example, when the assembly hereof is to be inserted into a generally circular drain opening, the mount may be provided as a substantially rigid cylinder around which the retaining member is arranged. The mount thus provides the desired spacing and prevents the retaining member from collapsing over the drain opening. The cylinder may be provided, for example, of two ring sections of synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride or more preferably ABS resin. An inner ring section may thereby frictionally engage an outer ring section with a portion of the retaining member secured therebetween to help close the edges of the retaining member, thereby inhibiting escape of the sanitizing agent and maintaining the position and conformation of the retaining member and the sanitizing agent therein.
In use the ring assembly is placed into a drain opening. Water flowing down the drain passes by the ring assembly and saturates the sanitizing agent, thereby wetting and controllably releasing the sanitizing agent. In the particularly preferred form of the invention, the sanitizing agent assumes a gel-like consistency when wetted, which is held within the retaining member and gradually leaches into the liquid passing through the retaining member. The released sanitizing agent then substantially sanitizes the water flowing from the drain.
These and other important features of the present invention are more fully described in the section title DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, below.